Forever and Always
by beingmargoroth
Summary: 'So… McKinley Glee club is having a reunion.' 'You going to go' 'I guess...'
1. Chapter 1

The highlight of Kurt's day was definitely waking up next to Blaine.

However, this morning, when he arose, his partner was gone, leaving behind the faint smell of him and a cup of coffee. Downstairs, Kurt could hear the TV blasting, mingled with his favourite sounds in the entire world: Blaine and Colbie's laughter. He pulled himself out of bed and wrapped himself in a dressing gown before stumbling downstairs, cup of coffee in hand.

Kurt paused in the hallway, spying the mail on the doorstep the Blaine had, typically, just left there. Sighing, he bent down and picked it up, flicking through it as he made his way into the kitchen, only pausing when he saw one thing. Depositing the rest of the letters on the kitchen island, Kurt studied the invitation closer, surprised at what it was.

Knowing Blaine would be too, he called out, 'So… McKinley Glee club is having a reunion.'

Kurt wasn't sure if Blaine could hear him, over the glare from the television in the next room, or if he was even listening. It was his day off and on those rare days, Blaine would spend his time lied in front of the TV and watching cartoons all day with Colbie, gorging out on gummy bears and red vines.

'It's in a few weeks,' Kurt went on anyway, rolling his eyes as he glanced down at the invite and picked up the mixture Blaine had made but then forgotten about. 'I think Rachel's set it up – you remember Rachel, right?'

He heard Blaine snort as he entered the kitchen, still in his pyjamas, and made his way over to the coffee machine, declaring, 'Of course I remember Rachel. She's just finished a show on Broadway now, right?'

'I think so,' he agreed, checking for lumps, whisking it quickly. 'I think, from what the invitation said, she's in town for a few days – visiting her dads for Christmas, I think – and she just wants everyone to meet up.'

'You going to go?'

Kurt pulled a face, moving over to the stove. 'I guess. If I can get time off at _Vogue_ – and if we can find someone to look after Bee-Bee.'

'_Hey_,' Blaine whined, offended, pouring his coffee before turning to look at his partner. 'What about me? I can look after Colbie! I'm responsible!'

He rolled his eyes. 'You'll end up feeding her chocolate all weekend.'

'What's your point?'

'Dada! Dada!' came the shrill of their two year old daughter as she plodded into the kitchen, her curls bouncing in her pigtails, and tugged on Blaine's pyjama bottoms. 'Dada, can I have some more gummy bears? _Please_?'

'Oh, I don't know,' Blaine told her, looking up and smirking at Kurt. 'You'd better ask Daddy. _Apparently_, I'm incapable of being sensible about feeding you.'

The blonde girl turned and toddled over to Kurt, crying, 'Daddy! Daddy!'

He picked her up, holding her against his hip as he glared at Blaine, telling her sweetly, 'You can have some after you've eaten your pancakes, okay, Colbie? They'll be ready in a bit. Go back and watch Spongebob in the lounge while you wait, okay?'

'Okay!' Colbie agreed happily as Kurt put her down.

They watched her waddle back into the next room before speaking again.

'She can't put those gummy bears on the pancakes,' Kurt warned, knowing the child. 'So, when she asks, you say no, Blaine. Even if she uses those puppy dog eyes.'

He sighed, putting down his cup. 'You know I can't resist those eyes.'

'It takes practise,' Kurt told him, smiling softly as Blaine made his way over to him. 'I couldn't resist your puppy dog eyes for years.'

'Admit it: you still can't,' Blaine murmured, kissing him softly.

'True,' he agreed quietly as they broke apart. 'But I still can't trust you to look after Colbie for a whole weekend.'

'Dammit,' Blaine sighed as Kurt went back to making pancakes. 'I thought that would have worked.'

'If it didn't work for the puppy, it's not going to work for this.'

Blaine was quiet for a moment, the only noise in their cosy town house the TV and the sounds of their daughter's twinkling laughter, before he mused, 'Why don't we all go to Lima?'

Kurt looked at him, blinking in surprise. 'You want to go back?'

'It's not forever,' Blaine pointed out. 'A few days, perhaps a week. And Colbie's never met her Grandparents. That'll be nice for her – and I know how you hate leaving her in some stranger's care, Kurt; Carole and Burt can look after her while we go to this reunion thing. It'll be fun.'

'But it's at _Christmas_,' Kurt reminded, sounding a little whiney. 'You know how much I love New York at Christmas, Blaine.'

'I know, but we'll have plenty of Christmas' here,' he reminded. 'It's only a few days, Kurt, and think about Colbie; would you rather leave her here, or take her to meet her Grandparents?'

'Take her with me,' Kurt replied instantly.

'So it's decided. We're all going to Lima this Christmas.'


	2. Chapter 2

They'd only been back once.

But that was nine years ago, when Finn and Quinn had got married. And, this time, it wasn't just him and Blaine coming back; it was him, Blaine _and_ Colbie. His parents hadn't met her – in fact, Kurt hadn't even told them that they had been looking to adopt. So arriving with a two year that looked nothing alike either of them was going to be a bit hard to explain.

'They have to find out some time,' Blaine pointed out.

'They're going to be pissed,' Kurt muttered.

'Oh, shush. They're going to be overjoyed.'

Kurt wasn't sure that was completely true but he had little less than a month to dwell on it before they flew over. Most of this time Kurt spent organising time off of work and finding someone to take care of the fish (Kurt's final compromise for Blaine's puppy request). Then, before Kurt could quite believe it, they had landed in Lima on a cold December day and were stood on the Hummel-Hudson doorstep, waiting to be let in.

'They're going to be pi-_angry_,' Blaine decided, stopping himself before he swore in front of Colbie, who seemed to pick up on things far too quickly.

'Thanks for the reassurance,' muttered Kurt as the door in front of them opened.

'Kurt, Blaine,' gushed Carole, beaming when she saw them. 'It's so great to see the two of you!'

'You too, Carole,' Blaine replied, being the ever charming man he was.

She was about to gesture them inside when a flash of blonde hair caught her eye from behind Kurt's legs and she frowned, confused. Seeing what she'd spotted, Blaine caught his partner's eye and, with mutual agreement, Kurt stood aside to reveal their daughter, who was fascinated by the falling snowflakes.

'Oh, my…' she cooed, a soft smile spreading across her face as she leant down to be at eye-level with the toddler. 'Who's _this_ gorgeous little girl?'

Kurt, after a supportive nod from Blaine, swallowed his fears and forced himself to introduce, 'Carole, this is our daughter, Colbie.'

His stepmother's face looked close to bursting with joy as she stood. 'Is she now?' she murmured, before holding out a hand for Colbie, who'd quickly become interested in her Grandmother. 'C'mon. I've got a fresh batch of cookies inside.'

'Yum!' Blaine exclaimed excitedly, being elbowed in the ribs by Kurt. '_What_?'

His partner just rolled his eyes and followed his stepmother into the hall.

'Kurt and Blaine are here, Burt!' Carole called to her husband, helping Colbie out of her coat, already fond of the young girl. 'They've got a surprise for you!'

'Shoes, Bee,' Kurt reminded his daughter, bending down to help take them off.

'I'm coming, I'm coming,' Burt's gruff voice echoed to them, before Kurt's father appeared in the lounge doorway to survey the scene in front of them. 'Hello.'

'Hi, Burt,' greeted Blaine cheerfully as, beside him, Kurt stood.

'Hey, Dad,' he said nervously, knowing what Burt's wide eyes were watching and adding, 'This is Colbie, our daughter.'

The blonde toddler smiled as Burt echoed, 'Your – '

'Not biologically,' added Blaine, already knowing what he was thinking.

Burt went to open his mouth again, but Carole jumped in, 'Why don't we talking about this in the kitchen?'

Blaine nodded and Kurt slipped Colbie's rucksack, full of colouring books and toys for her, off of his partner's shoulder and gave to the little girl, whose eager little hands were already grabbing for it.

'Go and play in the lounge,' Kurt told her quietly. 'Dada will bring you in some cookies and milk in a bit, okay?'

'Can I have some gummybears too?'

Blaine chuckled and pressed a kiss to the child's head. 'That depends if you're good or not,' he promised, before pressing his hand to the small of her back and gently pushing her forwards, urging, 'Go on. I'll be in in a bit.'

Colbie nodded her head, her blonde curls bouncing, before she toddled past Burt and into the lounge, singing incoherently as she went along. That was Blaine's influence; when she was younger, nothing would get her to sleep – until Blaine, one sleepless night, began humming Disney songs and sang her to sleep. So every night since, Colbie had been sung to sleep.

But it didn't stop there; sometimes Kurt would enter the room and find his partner humming a song while he helped their daughter with something – two days later, he'd find Colbie humming the same song. Kurt just hoped it would turn into something more later in life, such as a talent and love for performing.

'Come on,' Carole said gently, pulling him out of his thoughts. 'Let's go into the kitchen and you guys can explain.'

Kurt knew that when Carole said _explain_, she meant they had to tell them the truth – to tell them _exactly_ how the couple had ended up with such a beautiful two year old. Instead, they told the public version of how they'd gotten Colbie – the only version they'd promised to ever tell. There was no reason for Kurt's parents not to buy it, because it was believable.

But, even so…


	3. Chapter 3

They left Colbie at the Hummel-Hudson household that night.

Carole was insistent that they had the night off from their constant parental duties, and the little girl didn't want to leave. Kurt knew it would be harder to prise her away the next morning, but didn't bother arguing the point further; it had been a long day and all he wanted was his bed. The best he could get, though, was a grimy hotel room that was to be their home for the next few weeks.

Kurt couldn't deny that it wasn't heaven to be able to lie in the next morning, not having to deal with getting a grumpy Colbie to nursery or the morning rush-hour of New York. But that didn't stop him rising before Blaine, spending a few moments to choose his outfit – even though he'd spent a whole day sorting out outfits before they left. He'd do anything to keep him from thinking about that night.

They – well, Kurt – had planned their trip so that he could spend as minimal time in Lima as he could; so they'd flown out two days before, and were only leaving two weeks afterwards because Carole had simply begged them to stay for Christmas. If Kurt had had his way, he would never have returned, not even for this stupid reunion; it was only because Blaine had persuaded him that he'd grudgingly agreed. After all, why would you want to go back to the one place you'd spent so long trying to escape?

'You going to get Bee-Bee?' came Blaine's rough voice from the bed.

Kurt nodded, still thinking about this clothing. 'Wanna come with?'

'Give me five minutes.'

Fifteen minutes later (Blaine was excellent at distracting Kurt), they left the hotel and travelled across town to the Hummel-Hudson residence. Snow was still covering the ground, and Kurt was sure he felt it hang in the air as he just let them in; Carole, the ever-loving woman she was, had been eager to make sure Kurt knew that the house was still his, even if he was twenty-eight and had been living in New York for roughly ten years.

'Hello!' Kurt called as they stepped inside, tucking his keys back into his pocket.

Noise hit them like a ton of bricks as soon as they entered. Intrigued, they cautiously tugged off their coats and slipped off their shows before venturing further into the house. Kurt had to grab Blaine as he went to enter the kitchen, having single out Colbie's voice, before he was knocked over by two identical blonde boys as they charged into the kitchen, chasing each other and making airplane noises.

From the kitchen island, Quinn told them firmly, 'Ethan, Evan, I've told you already – no running!'

She didn't even look up from helping Colbie colour – what Kurt hoped was a piece of paper; from behind, he couldn't see – to scold them. Not until Colbie sat up and spotted her daddies. As she called for them, Quinn looked up too and her bright eyes locked with Kurt's. She hadn't changed; Quinn was still Quinn – female perfection. On the outside. On the inside, Kurt automatically knew she was still as messed up as everyone else. She was just getting better at hiding it.

'Hello, you two!' greeted Carole, busy at the stove. 'Have a good night?'

'It was uneventful,' Kurt admitted before smiling at his daughter. 'Hello. How are we this morning?'

'Auntie Que helped me draw,' she declared brightly, grinning.

'Did she now?' murmured Kurt, looking up to catch Quinn's eye again. 'That was nice of you.'

She shrugged, pulling herself back so she was sat up and not slouched over. 'The boys were never big colourers, unfortunately.'

'No, they look more the soccer type,' agreed Blaine, before wondering around the island to the coffee machine, 'Alright if I make a drink, Carole?'

'Of course. Knock yourself out.'

'Coffee, Kurt?' he asked, and his partner nodded. 'Coffee, Quinn?'

'Oh, no, thanks,' she replied, standing up and gathering her purse. 'I've work now. Thanks for agreeing to look after the twins, Carole.'

She raised the wooden spoon in her hand, waving the gratitude away.

'I'll see you tonight, Kurt, Blaine,' Quinn said, smiling softly at them as she left, halting at the doorway to bid, 'Bye, Colbie.'

'What do you say?' Kurt asked her, trying to evoke some manners.

'Thank you for colouring with me, Auntie Que.'

Quinn smiled softly – longingly, almost – at her. 'It's okay,' she said quietly before slipping out of the room like smoke.

Kurt watched her go, thinking that maybe he'd gotten it wrong – maybe Quinn was just as bad as hiding her problems as she was the last time he'd seen her.


	4. Chapter 4

They spent the rest of the day keeping the kids occupied.

While Blaine played game after game of Mario Bros with Quinn's nine year old twins, Ethan and Evan, and let them win each time, Kurt couldn't keep Colbie from helping Carole bake in the kitchen. He watched, amused, from the kitchen island, as the two year old ended up getting flour and then icing all over the place. Usually, Carole was very house-proud – as was Kurt – and was not keen on mess. However, for Colbie, they didn't care.

One thing Kurt refused to let slide was bedtimes. So, when Colbie was sat down at the dinning room table with her cousins, eating her dinner that evening, Kurt made sure that both of his parents knew when to put her to bed before he and Blaine headed back to the hotel to get ready for the reunion.

Rachel had put on the invitation that it was informal, but Kurt knew that most people would be making an effort. They'd been a very competitive group, so on their first official get-together, of course they'd want to show off how we'll they'd been doing. Well, most people. Puck would probably turn up in a t-shirt and jeans. That was, if he turned up at all.

The more Kurt thought about it, the more nervous he became. He wasn't entirely sure why he was nervous – he had nothing to prove to them, not now he had Blaine on his arm, an amazing job and a beautiful daughter. But, faced with Rachel's glamorous life, he would be forced to boast. He knew what she'd been up to, but what about the rest of the group. What would they be like? What were they doing? What had they achieved?

'I'm kind of regretting missing Dalton's reunion last year now,' Blaine mused aloud, twirling a breadstick with his fingers, reminiscing.

Kurt rolled his eyes. 'We were on holiday in Europe when it happened.'

'Oh, yeah,' he remembered, sighing. 'We should go back to Paris…'

'One day,' Kurt promised as the familiar sight of his step-brother caught his eye.

He watched them enter, and then be directed over to the large table Blaine and Kurt were already sat at, in the corner of the room. Quinn, Kurt noticed, look more put together than she had that morning, dressed in a casual patterned sundress; but, then again, Quinn had always tried to at least look her best when it came to her archenemy, Rachel. Finn had tried to dress up, throwing a suit jacket over his usual jeans and t-shirt combo.

'Hey, Kurt! Long time, no see!' he greeted as he sat in the seat next to Blaine.

'Yeah, I've missed you, too, Finn,' Kurt replied half-heartedly, smiling a little.

'Sorry we're late,' Quinn gushed as she slipped into the seat beside her husband, explaining, 'We couldn't get the twins to sleep. I doubt they're in bed now.'

Blaine smiled sympathetically at her. 'I know that feeling only too well.'

Quinn lent her head on her hand, intrigued. 'How do you get Colbie to sleep?'

'Singing.'

'Wait,' blurted Finn, slow as always, looking up from the menu that was already in his hands. 'Who the hell's Colbie – your puppy or something?'

'No,' Kurt told him pointedly; clearly he still remembered the trouble Kurt was going through two years ago trying to convince Blaine that owning a puppy was not a good idea.

Finn frowned. 'So who is she?'

Blaine caught Kurt's eye and that decided it. Finn, his brother, ought to know, especially as their parents and his wife did. With a nod of encouragement from Blaine, and a weak smile from Quinn, Kurt took a deep breath.

'She – '

'Yo, guys!' came Puck's familiar voice as he joined them, dressed in exactly what Kurt had predicted; a shabby hoodie and a pair of jeans. 'What's up?'

At the sight of him, Quinn sighed and stood, stepping back so Finn wouldn't squash her as he stood and moved to greet his best friend. Blaine smiled sympathetically, and patted the seat next to him, which Quinn took willingly. Kurt guessed she still wasn't Puck's biggest fan, but that was to be expected. It looked like he hadn't changed a bit; he spoke the same, acted the same – and, yeah, the mohawk was still there. Puck had definitely not changed.

'Where's my hot Jewish Princess?' he asked, looking around as he sat next to Finn, who took Quinn's empty seat.

'Rachel's not here yet, Noah,' Kurt told him simply, already bored of this whole thing, sighing as he looked down at his watch, adding, 'Although she should be. It's twenty-five to eight. She said half-past. She's late.'

'Which gives us time to get this party started!' Puck declared, gesturing a waitress over to their table.

'Oh, God,' Kurt found himself muttering, as he leant his head in his hands, remembering the last time Puck had been in-charge of "getting the party started".

Under the table, Blaine squeezed Kurt's leg, reminding him that he was there for him, no matter what was exposed that night, by both the nosiness of their friends and the amount of alcohol Puck had just ordered.

And Kurt knew there was a _lot_ that could be exposed.


	5. Chapter 5

It took another ten minutes for the rest of the group to turn up.

While Finn sat there, consuming as many free breadsticks as he could, and Quinn looked as if she would rather be anywhere but there – a feeling Kurt could more than sympathise with – Puck decided to fill the awkward silence by telling them what he'd managed to achieve since high school, which didn't seem to be much at all.

'I didn't go to college,' he told them breezily, taking a mouthful of his beer. 'It didn't really seem my thing – no point wasting time with it when I could be living.'

'So what did you do?' asked Blaine, simply to keep the conversation rolling.

'I eventually got work coaching McKinley's football team,' Puck went on. 'I've managed to get them to the championships five times in the past eight years. But it's all them, really. I'm damn proud of my boys.'

'Hasn't any other teams tried to scout you, with a winning ratio like that?'

He shrugged. 'Doesn't matter; I'll never leave my boys. That's my team – my home team. I was once playing in that strip. And, soon, so will my son.'

Kurt choked on his wine. 'Wait. You have a son?'

Puck nodded proudly. 'Joe. He's eight – typical little boy. I only get to see him every now and again, though; Liz doesn't particularly approve of me.'

'Is that surprising?' Quinn asked rhetorically, her tone icy. 'You have a reputation for screwing someone over and then running. I should know.'

Puck didn't reply, and Kurt was about to jump in to break the icy silence, filled with bitter memories, as Sam and Mercedes arrived. The group only had a few moments to greet the two of them, Kurt giving Mercedes a tight squeeze once Quinn had greeted her, as the rest of the Glee club also filtered in. Once they had, Santana and Brittany bringing up the rear, and had everyone had settled, they ordered dinner, although Kurt didn't feel like eating at all.

It was also clear to him that Rachel had her mind on other things. She looked the same, although the frumpy clothes had disappeared and been replaced by designer labels – which Kurt couldn't blame her for; she had the money now. Her smile was whiter too as she watched the table begin their small talk, looking as if she was waiting from them to remember who had called them there and, most importantly, why; so she could boast about her successful career.

Kurt sighed, rolling his eyes as he declared loudly, 'Oh, go on, Rachel. Tell us about what you've been up to before you pop.'

'Well…' she started, drawing it out as she flicked her hair over her shoulder – an annoying trait of hers that Kurt had forgotten – and waited for the table to quieten down to listen to her. 'After McKinley, I went to Julliard, studying acting; I graduated with honours, after four years – my teacher said I was the best in my class. And then, I went on to do a few community theatre performances in New York – y'know, just working my way up until my big break. Which, I'm sure you all know, I did - I just finished a three month stint on Broadway, playing the lead role.'

'Of course,' Santana muttered, rolling her eyes, making Brittany smirk.

'I think we all know you're a Broadway star now,' Kurt agreed, not at all surprised; this was exactly what he expected from her.

'Well, I wasn't sure,' she told him, sounding a little hurt. 'You've all moved away and have been busy. Do you know how hard it was to track you all down?'

'Perhaps that's why we moved away,' suggested Lauren.

Rachel ignored her, continuing, 'I spent weeks finding your addresses. Finn was the easiest, because I knew he stayed in Lima. And he told me where Kurt was, although I already knew he was in New York too.'

'Thanks, Finn,' Kurt muttered, and Finn threw him an apologetic smile.

'So how did you find the rest of us?' Sam asked.

Rachel bit her lip and looked over, her eyes landing on Puck. 'Noah helped me.'

'That was… nice of you,' Quinn decided, cautious.

Puck shrugged. 'Well, I am a nice person. If a friend came to me with a problem, I'd help them. Which is what I did with Rachel; she wanted to find you, so I helped.'

'But why did you want to find us, Rachel?' Santana asked, saying what they were all thinking. 'To boast about Broadway?'

'No, no,' she objected, tucking her hair behind her ears. 'I wanted to see if the kids no one thought would go far – the misfits – managed to achieve their dreams and find where they belonged.'

It may have sounded cheesy, but as Kurt looked around the table, he suddenly realised that that was exactly what he had been thinking. He knew little things about his old Glee club – like Rachel's success and Finn's career – but he knew nothing about what the majority of them had been doing. So, as well as speculating if they'd changed, he had, most of all, been wondering if they'd managed to break the mould.

Even though, for one of them, Kurt knew they hadn't…

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I have an A2 Media exam next Thursday, and then I have to clean the house for my birthday shindig that weekend, so I'm unsure as to when I will next be updating.. Sorry :|**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Okay, so I know I told you guys I didn't know when I'd next update, probably after my exam, but I've done so much revision this week, my brain is mush and I needed a break. So, ta-dah. I hope you enjoy it. Also, next update will might be Monday, if I can get the day off of college (due to my art show being that night).**

* * *

><p>Over the course of the meal, they each took turns sharing their stories.<p>

After Rachel, and the starter, Mercedes dazed the group with her tale of being a vocal coach in LA, while Sam told them how he was working with James Cameron on a sequel to the film _Avatar_. Lauren and Artie went next, over their main course, followed by Tina and then Mike Chang, who'd spent the last ten years in England as a professional dance teacher.

After they'd ordered dessert, Brittany declared that she was also in this line of business, although she had stuck with America – and Santana, once they'd finished college. It was no shock to the group when Finn stated afterwards that, like Puck, he hadn't gone to college and had instead dived straight into work.

'I didn't think college would work out for me,' he shrugged. 'The only thing I kind of wanted to do was football, and I didn't manage to get a scholarship for it to anywhere, in the end. And, besides, I knew there was a job for me at Hummel Tyres and Lube, working for Burt.'

'Why waste money with college when you could be earning it?' added Puck.

'Exactly,' agreed Finn, although no one else shared this view. 'And, when the twins were born a year or so later, we needed all the money we could get – right, Quinn?'

She nodded and Santana smirked, stating, 'So that's what happened.'

Sam frowned, tearing his gaze from Santana to Quinn. 'Wait. What? I thought you went to San Francisco to study law.'

'I did,' she told him, before sighing, knowing she was trapped and had to tell them as she admitted, 'When I came home for Winter break, I bumped into Finn and… well – '

'He knocked you up,' Puck finished for her bluntly.

'Thank you, Noah,' Kurt said sarcastically. 'As if we couldn't figure that out for ourselves, considering Finn's last sentence.'

Quinn shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she hurriedly finished, 'I had to drop out four months later, when – well, when the pregnancy really became a bitch. I moved back to Lima, and that's that.'

'You married Finn?' asked Rachel, her voice slightly cautious.

She looked down at the gleaming band on her finger. 'Yeah.'

'You didn't invite me, bitch,' whined Santana, evoking a chorus of agreeable complaints from uninvited guests around the table.

'It was only a small do,' Quinn tried to rectify. 'Just family.'

'We would have invited you all if we could have,' added Finn.

This seemed to settle the group, as they quietened down and raised no further complaints. Kurt half wished he could have been one of them, so ignorant to the truth; instead, he was Finn's step-brother and was forced to witness the shambles of a married couple in front of him.

'So what are you doing now?' Mercedes enquired, moving the conversation along. 'Do you work, or stay at home with the twins?'

'I work at Lima Estate Agents,' Quinn stated, adding, 'Although looking after Ethan and Evan is a fulltime occupation; when I'm not at the office, I'm rushing around, trying to make sure they don't send anything – or anyone – flying.'

'They're going through an airplane phase,' Finn explained simply.

'I noticed that,' Blaine mused, smirking.

'And you're happy?'

The question felt a bit unusual to Kurt – not the sort of thing you'd ask someone, especially someone you'd never really been close enough to really care if their life was everything they'd wanted or not. But even Kurt had heard the regret in Quinn's voice as she told them of her last ten years.

And everyone must have heard the pause before she answered.

'Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like – what would have happened if I'd done things differently,' Quinn admitted in a small voice, meeting Kurt's eye as she went on, 'But then I remember what I've got out of my mistakes – of what I've achieved, of what I've made, of what I've gained – and the pain doesn't hurt so bad.'

Kurt knew he couldn't have been the only one to notice that she didn't answer the question.


	7. Chapter 7

The group decided to leave Quinn and Finn's story there, already very aware that the two had not changed much; they may have grown up, but them and their relationship was still as complex as it had been when they'd all last seen each other. This left them waddling in an awkward silence, until Mercedes decided to rescue them.

'C'mon, you two,' she said loudly to Blaine and Kurt, grabbing another breadstick. 'You've been awfully shy about what you've been up to since McKinley.'

Kurt shrugged, sitting back. 'Nothing much to tell, honestly.'

Blaine looked at him, before rolling his eyes and informing the group, 'Kurt works at Vogue, now, as their fashion correspondent.'

'Well, you're on TV,' he shot back.

'How long have you been working at Vogue, Kurt?' asked Tina.

He shrugged again. 'A few years – it started out as an internship after college.'

Blaine shook his head, remembering, 'That was a bad year…'

Mercedes frowned. 'Why?'

'Neither of us were earning much,' Blaine told them, pulling a face, 'so we weren't exactly living in luxury until I got my break on _Glory Days_ and Kurt secured a paying job at Vogue. And even then we were saving up.'

'What for? A house?'

Blaine shook his head. 'For a civil partnership over in England.'

'Dude, why in England?' asked Puck.

'Because it's legal over there.'

'And then you brought a puppy,' presumed Finn, mouth full of cheesecake.

'We didn't get a puppy!' Kurt snapped, fed-up. 'Why do people think that?'

His step-brother shrugged. 'Blaine was very persistent. And, earlier, you did mention a Cody or – '

'Colbie,' Quinn corrected softly.

'Oh, yeah,' Kurt said awkwardly, shrinking beside Blaine as he remembered that they still had that subject to tell them about. 'Colbie…'

'Wait,' said Rachel, frowning. 'Who's Colbie?'

There was a pause, in which Blaine looked over at Kurt, taking in his pale face and avoiding gaze, knowing that Kurt had tackled the parent hurdle but it was up to him to tell their friends. He reached under the table and took a hold of his partner's hand, squeezing it gently, reassuring him that it was going to be okay.

Blaine swallowed, before declaring, 'Colbie is our daughter.'

Everyone stared at them, wide-eyed, disbelieving, before the questions flew from all directions, in an array of voices and tones.

'Whoa!'

'Dude, what the hell? You're my brother!'

'You have a _daughter_?'

'Is that even… allowed?'

'How did _that_ happen?'

Kurt closed his eyes and took a deep breath before telling them as calmly as he could, 'We thought long and hard about it. We didn't rush into it. But, once we became civil partners, it kind of became obvious that – as much as we loved each other, it wasn't… enough, I guess. We got a fish, first, for a few months – '

'I wanted a puppy,' Blaine stated, just so everyone knew.

Kurt opened his eyes to shoot Blaine a look. 'We started small; a fish is easy to look after. And, when it didn't – when we still felt that something was missing, we did consider a dog. But we both knew it wasn't a pet, an animal, that we wanted, really. So, after a long talk, we decided to look into adoption. But, being who we are, it was complicated and took so long – after months, we hadn't got anywhere and were about to give up when… a friend came to our rescue and proposed that we raised her unborn – and unwanted – baby when it arrived. Of course, we took the offer and ended up with Colbie.'

'How old is she?' asked Rachel softly, heartened by the story.

'She'll be three next August,' Blaine informed, smiling.

'So she's at that awkward toddler stage?'

Kurt shook his head. 'I think we got lucky, because Colbie doesn't seem to throw tantrums. She'll just fix you with the penetrating stare, or shot you puppy-dog eyes, and you'll automatically let her have her way. Especially if you're Blaine.'

'Hey,' he objected. 'She hasn't had any gummy bears this weekend.'

'It's only Friday night.'

'Not the point.'

Mercedes grinned. 'So you're happy?'

Kurt looked at Blaine and nodded. 'Extremely.'


	8. Chapter 8

Fifteen minutes later, they were paying the bill.

Now that everyone had had their say and had told their story, no one appeared to have a reason, or want to stay. In dribs and drabs, they left, each collapsing into taxis or sluggishly wandering down the road, until Kurt and Quinn were left outside, alone, waiting by Quinn's car for their respective others; Finn was still balancing his bill while Blaine had popped to the toilet. For a while, they stood in silence, reflecting on the night and the revelations it had extracted – and the ones it had kept hidden.

'Thank you.'

Kurt looked over at Quinn, surprised. 'What for?'

'For keeping my secret safe,' she informed him, her gaze flicking to Finn, who she could see paying through the restaurant's windows. 'I was dreading tonight, because I didn't see a way it wouldn't be prised out by someone.'

'Blaine would never let it go without a fight.'

Quinn smiled softly, her eyes back on Kurt. 'I heard you too discussing the adoption, y'know, all those years ago. It took Blaine a long time to convince you.'

Kurt nodded, not bothering to deny it, before confessing, 'But as soon as I saw her, all the doubt about it just melted away. She was so pink and perfect, and I couldn't wait for her to be mine.'

Quinn didn't reply, and Kurt knew he'd hit a nerve. Of course he had. Talking about Colbie's birth was bound to stir up some bitter memories for her about Beth's birth. Ever since Beth's adoption, Quinn had never quite been the same. Loosing a child – that was something no one could get over.

'It's getting harder and harder, Kurt,' she whispered, as if she'd read his mind, sighing. 'I don't think I can keep it from Finn any longer.'

'We all knew we couldn't hide it forever.'

Quinn nodded. 'I know. And I just… I don't want people dragging the three of you into it. It's not your fault, what I did. I'm entirely to blame.'

'You did what you felt was right,' he reminded. 'That's all you could do.'

Quinn nodded again, before mumbling, 'Perhaps I should have told him. That would have saved Blaine and your asses when it does blow up. Although, your story is very convincing.'

'It's the truth,' Kurt pointed out. 'We didn't get very far with the services so we did adopt Colbie privately. It isn't a lie… Well, not really.'

'You didn't lie - but I did.'

Kurt took her hand and squeezed it supportively. 'We've got a while, before it becomes apparent – before we have to tell. We'll – '

'I can't keep it a secret much long,' she told him quietly, removing her hand from his grip. 'I told you; it's so hard now – imagine what it'll be like in two years time when Coblie starts school. Kids are blunt, Kurt. They'll ask her about her mom, and she come to you for the answer. Even if you can lie to Finn, you can't lie to her.'

Kurt thought of Colbie's big blues eyes and knew she was right.

'And now your parents know about her, they're going to want to see her more often. Sooner or later, they'll see her and spot her mother's characteristics.'

'Oh, I am not coming back,' Kurt objected firmly, before adding, 'Well, not often; not unless Colbie wants to.'

Quinn stared at him, her gaze sad. 'We have to tell them now.'

Kurt blinked. 'What? No. No, Quinn, we – '

'We haven't got time, Kurt. Kids grow up quick. Colbie's growing up quick. The last time I saw her, she couldn't say my name. Now she crams it in every sentence. It has to be done. It's best, this way. Easier.'

Kurt didn't reply at first. Quinn was right, of course. The secret was burning them up inside, building, getting harder and harder to protect, to keep. It was best to let it go gently, rather than in an outburst, a flood, used as a weapon. It was best to tell now. It wouldn't be too long before it leaked itself – and that would be worse still.

'Well, I guess,' Kurt concealed quietly, softly. 'I'm just not sure I'm ready for the consequences. Are you ready for them?'

Quinn inhaled, her eyes finding Finn in the restaurant, her main concern as she thought about this, before whispering, 'I just don't want him to hate me for hurting him. Because I never meant to do that. I love him, Kurt, and I want to be honest with him – but he'll hate me for it.'

He watched her, knowing he was close to gathering her up in his arms and holding her close, just to see if it would stop her breaking as he reminded her softly, quietly, 'He'll forgive you. He always does. In the end.'

Her eyes were still on Finn as he and Blaine exited the restaurant, while she told Kurt quietly, 'There's only so many times you can forgive someone – there's only so many times you can have your heart broken by one person.'

'So. Are you ready?'

Kurt nearly jumped at the sound of Finn's voice, while Quinn just smiled sadly at her husband, answering not him but Kurt's previous, identical question. 'Yeah. I'm ready.'

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So, once again, I don't know when I'll be uploading next - although my exams are now over, I have a busy weekend ahead of me (I'm going to see Glee Live in London! ^.^). I'll try and upload when I get back (Monday) but, honestly, it'll probably be Tuesday afternoon GMT time.**


	9. Chapter 9

When they arrived back at the Hummel-Hudson residence, Quinn dropped the bomb.

'Finn, we need to talk.'

From the hallway, Kurt heard Finn ask. 'What about?'

'About Colbie.'

'Kurt's daughter?' he checked with her.

In the kitchen doorway, Quinn nodded. 'Yeah. Kurt's daughter.'

'But what – '

'Sit down,' she told him jadedly, sighing. 'I'll start from the beginning.'

At these words, Kurt took Blaine's hand and pulled him back out of the house as silently as he could. If Quinn planned to tell Finn everything, from the very start, they were in for a long night. Blaine didn't need to ask what was happening; as soon as Quinn had said the words "we need to talk", he'd known what was coming – and how long it would take; both Blaine and Kurt remembered exactly how it had begun.

_It had been a crisp, warm Monday morning in April. The sun was up and the streets were thriving as Kurt dug himself out of bed and scuttled as quietly as he could to the kitchen. Usually, he was already up and out the door. But it wasn't a usual day. It was the first day both he and Blaine had had a day off simultaneously in months, and they'd planned to make the most of it, starting with breakfast in bed._

_ Pancakes had always been Blaine's favourite, although he'd never been able to make them properly. So Kurt, the ever-loving partner he was, made them for him as treats. Teamed with a strong cup of coffee, it was Blaine ideal breakfast._

'_Oh, Kurt, you shouldn't have,' he gushed, watching his partner effortlessly carry the full tray into the room and over to him. 'I could have got up.'_

'_I know,' Kurt assured him, grinning evilly as he put the tray down and clambered onto the bed beside him. 'But I want us to spend the whole day in bed.'_

'_Oh?' Blaine replied, catching the mischievous glint in Kurt's eyes as he lent closer._

_ Kurt pressed a kiss to Blaine's lips and, instantly, his hands were there, cupping Kurt's jaw so he could intensify the kiss, hungry for his partner, teasing his lips open with his tongue. Kurt felt a moan rise in his throat as Blaine's tongue did unmentionable things in his mouth. Blaine smiled into the kiss, amused by this, as he drew his tongue out and went to nip Kurt's bottom lip. His teeth were there, ready to tug, but were paused by the doorbell. Impeccable timing, Kurt thought bitterly as he torn himself away._

'_I'll go,' he told Blaine, shimmying back off of the bed. 'You have your breakfast.'_

'_I'd rather have you,' Blaine replied wolfishly as Kurt darted out of the room._

_ Five minutes later, he was opening the front door to a surprisingly familiar face._

'_Kurt, I need your help.'_

_ He didn't ask all the questions that were dashing around his mind; the how, they why, the what of the situation. One look at Quinn – at her tangled blonde hair, at her bloodshot eyes and, most importantly, at her protruding stomach – and he was stepping back to let her in, before hurrying to make her a coffee before he dashed back to the bedroom to make himself at least look presentable. Ten minutes later, he was sat adjacent to her in the lounge, Blaine at his side, ready to hear the answers to his questions._

'_Quinn, what's happened?' he asked cautiously. 'Are you okay?'_

_She shook her head. 'I'm… I'm pregnant.'_

_Blaine frowned. 'But that's – that's great, isn't it?'_

_Quinn shook her head again, her eyes on the floor and her hands trembling as she cradled the warming coffee cup. 'It's not… It's not Finn's.'_

_There was a shocked paused, Kurt and Blaine not entirely able to comprehend her answer. As far as they knew, Quinn and Finn were still together and living as happily as they could with two troublesome six year olds. They hadn't broke up, and they hadn't has a major fallen out recently - not since the absence of their honeymoon. So this news made no sense to either of them, no matter how they looked at it._

'_So whose is it?' Kurt found himself asking into the silence, although he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer._

_She took a few unsteady breaths before whispering, 'Puck's. I slept with Puck.'_

_ After that, it all came out. Kurt already knew his step-brother and wife were struggling to keep themselves, and their family, afloat financially, and it seemed that this was what had started it. Fed-up of not being able to give the twins what they wanted, Quinn had gone out to – stupidly – try and drown her sorrows. Which was how she'd ended up sat at a barstool beside Puck, surrounded by empty bottles of wine. Of course, after that, one thing had drunkenly turned into another – and here she was, four months later, her abdomen parading her predicament._

'_I don't know what to do,' she whispered, her voice shaking._

'_It's okay,' Blaine assured her softly, when it was clear Kurt didn't know what to say, still struggling with the infidelity. 'Until you do, you can stay here.'_

_ To Kurt, this seemed like the worse possible idea – to let Quinn and her drama into their lives so willingly. Because her adultery would clearly be unearthed one day and, as soon as Finn found out Kurt had known the whole time, he would be in trouble too. But he couldn't just chuck his sister-in-law out on the streets, so he put up with her, figuring that she'd eventually work out that the only way forward would be to come clean and save all of their necks. However, when she did figure out her game plan, it wasn't what Kurt had been expected._

'_I want the baby to be adopted,' Quinn announced a fortnight later over dinner._

_Blaine blinked, but reacted instantly, nodding. 'Okay. Well, I guess – '_

'_By you.'_

_Kurt choked on his orange juice, not sure he'd heard correct. 'Wait. What?'_

_Quinn's eyes flew to her plate, and she busied herself with stabbing her potato salad with a fork as she repeated, 'I want you two to adopt my baby.'_

_ If Kurt had realised then what a mess it would have caused, he would have ended it then and there. But, instead, he sat back, eyes wide, stunned by her idea, and let his partner choke out a response that would be their undoing._

'_That… Well, that could certainly be an option.'_


	10. Chapter 10

_It was only a fortnight later that they dared to address the subject again._

_For weeks, the three of them hadn't mentioned it. Quinn had continued living with them, unable to return home until after the birth – apparently, Finn thought she was helping her parents with their divorce in Chicago for a few months – and life had gone back to normal; busy, hectic, other things more pressing._

_But, like always, as soon as the phone rang with news from the adoption services, normality shut down and Kurt and Blaine's life flew into turmoil. Every time, they hoped and prayed to every God under the sun that it was good news – and every time they were disappointed. But, after another frustrating meeting with the services, Blaine was beginning to understand the vicious circle and what they'd just have to do._

'_We should just give up.'_

_Kurt frowned into the darkness of the night. 'What do you mean?'_

_Blaine leant up on one arm so he could survey his partner, pokerfaced. 'The adoption. We've been trying for almost a year, Kurt. I don't think – To me, it doesn't look like the services are going to let it happen any time soon.'_

_Kurt pulled a face as he met Blaine's eyes. 'As much as it hurts me to admit… I think you're right. We've done everything and still…Why can't people just accept that we're no different to a straight couple?'_

'_If only there was another way,' Blaine agreed. 'One that didn't include the services.'_

_Knowing exactly what he meant, Kurt sat up quickly, forcing his partner to lean back quickly to avoid being headbutted. 'No, Blaine. No.'_

_He looked over his right shoulder, to the wall opposite Kurt, clearly thinking about the sleeping woman next door, before turning back to his partner. 'She asked, Kurt. She offered us her unborn baby.'_

'_That's my brother's wife,' Kurt hissed, 'who is carrying his best friend's child! Again! I am not getting involved in that mess, Blaine. It was bad enough the first time.'_

'_I know it's not the best circumstances,' he concealed, 'but think about that baby; think about what will happen if we don't take it. Quinn's not going to keep it – that's why she came to us. She can't keep it – she can't let Finn bring up a child that he thinks is his but isn't.'_

'_Then she should come clean and tell Finn she's a dirty little – '_

'_Then what would happen? They'd get divorced, break up. They'd fight and row, bitch and moan about each other – and how would that effect the twins, Kurt? They'd be stuck in the middle, forced to take sides.'_

_Kurt narrowed his eyes. 'You're saying that, if we don't take that baby, we'll be responsible for the destruction of that family?'_

'_I'm saying it's one of the possible outcomes of this,' Blaine corrected. 'If we don't take Quinn's baby, she'll either go home to Finn and break his heart, or she'll give the baby up for adoption anyway. She'll lose it, just like she lost Beth – you wouldn't do that to her again, would you?'_

_Kurt shrugged. 'Then she shouldn't have slept with Puckerman.'_

'_I'm not saying what she did was right,' Blaine told him, continuing, 'But she's giving us a lifeline, Kurt! She's giving us her baby, to look after and love! Us – not Mercedes or Mike, or anyone else – us. If we don't accept, I don't think we'll have another chance at raising a family.'_

_Kurt had to admit, seeing that light in Blaine's eyes, the beam on his face, as he laid the bare truth – that Quinn had chosen them, that out of everyone, she wanted them to raise her baby as their own – out for him to see, he was warming to the idea. Anything that made Blaine look that happy was absolutely fine with him. But it still didn't wash away the fact that, if the truth got out, they'd be just as guilty in Finn's eyes as Quinn._

'_I understand,' Kurt assured Blaine quietly, 'but Finn is my brother. First and foremost, I have an obligation to be honest to him. I can't – I can't raise his wife's illegitimate child without telling him.'_

'_Will you tell him Quinn had an affair even if we don't take her up?' Blaine asked, raising an eyebrow when Kurt opened his mouth to reply, then shut it, stumped. 'You can't, can you? Because you know it'll break his heart. So what difference does it make to Finn if we raise the child as our own?'_

_Kurt sighed, knowing Blaine had won. 'None at all.'_

_Four months later, however, when he was handed Quinn's baby girl, Colbie – a pile of soft, pink flesh and bright green eyes – all the doubt drained from Kurt. Blaine was right; it shouldn't be about his loyalty to Finn, or lying for Quinn. It was all about Colbie, about raising the baby Blaine and he had wanted for such a long time. So Kurt signed the papers and never looked back. Why would he, when he had a beautiful baby girl that cancelled out all the deceit of her birth a million times over?_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I've only planned 2/3 more chapters for this story, as I'm drawing it to a close now this big (originally unplanned, may I add) plot twist has revealed itself, so I can focus on writing some OS's over the summer and perhaps planning another chaptered story for you all. If you want, of course.****


	11. Chapter 11

Kurt didn't sleep all night.

Blaine woke to find his eyes shining as they stared at the ceiling above them many times that night, unable to sleep peacefully either. Neither could stop thinking about what Quinn was doing, several blocks away. Questions kept revolving around their minds. Had Finn shouted? Had Quinn cried? Had it finally ended?

Of course it hadn't. Whatever came next was the consequence. They couldn't escape it. What was coming for them was coming, whether they wanted it to or not. Part of Kurt did, because at least now it was out in the open. They didn't have to keep lying about it, letting it slowly burn a hole in their lives. At least now they'd limited the damage it had caused.

But what damage had it caused?

'I'm going to get Colbie,' Kurt announced, finally giving into the urge to get out of bed.

Blaine yawned as he rolled over and blinked at the clock. 'Kurt, it's six o'clock. She won't be awake for another few hours.'

'I have to get ready, though, don't I?' was all he replied, as he disappeared into the bathroom.

An hour later, when Kurt was back in the bathroom - this time fixing his hair - Blaine decided that he too could not fight it either. He slivered out of bed and dressed, not bothering to touch his hair. It was too much effort, he was too tired - there were reasons, but at same time there wasn't. All he could think about was what they'd let happen last night - whether a marriage was now scattered on the floor or simply an awkward tension hung between the pair.

What they found, however, was a mixture of the two.

Kurt let himself into Carole and Burt's house, expecting to find his step mom running after a scampering toddler. Instead, he found scream and giggling echoing from the loud. Confused and slightly worried, Kurt watched Blaine poked his head around before grinning and gesturing for Kurt to do the same. He did, discovering Ethan and Evan helping Colbie build an igloo in the middle of the lounge.

'She'll knock it down once it's built,' came a dull, familiar voice from behind them.

They turned and found Quinn sat at the kitchen island, looking just like she had when she'd turned up on their step all those years ago, pregnant and alone. Of course, now she was pregnant. Just alone. And Kurt's heart flew to her as he stepped into the kitchen.

'Carole went to do a grocery shop,' she told him, her voice monotonous.

'Quinn - '

'She said she'll be back soon.'

'Are you okay?'

She took a deep breath and admitted, 'It could be worse.'

Kurt slipped into the seat opposite. 'What happened?'

'Well, I told him,' Quinn began, her voice shaky. 'I told him everything - about… about that Christmas, and… what happened, about dumping myself on you and how I begged you to take her…'

'And then?' came Blaine's voice over Kurt's head, as he joined them, slipping into the seat next to Kurt.

Quinn took another deep breath before she went on, 'And then Finn freaked out. He…' she trailed off, pushing a glittering gold band across for them to see.

It was Finn's wedding ring.

'So that's it?' Kurt whispered, scared to know. 'It's over?'

Quinn shook her head. 'No. He said he needed time to think… to get his head around it… He told me - he told me to leave.'

'So where did you stay?'

'Here,' she enlightened, curling her hands around a coffee cup in front of her. 'I stayed in Finn's old room.'

'And Finn…?'

'He brought the twins over before he went to work this morning,' she explained, before letting go of one solitary sob. 'He never said a word to me.'

That sounded about right for Finn, Kurt thought. When in times of pressure, he'd do one of two things; fight or fly. Since, from Quinn's report, he hadn't fought with her last night, it was clear he'd chosen the flight path. He'd distanced himself from the problem; he'd pushed her away and kept her at arms length. Kurt knew, from past experiences, that was not the best reaction. Eventually, you would break down - you were just putting it off. And, in doing so, you were stopping time, putting life on pause.

Everyone's life.

'C'mon,' Kurt told her softly, standing. 'You need to go somewhere, do something.'

'But - '

'Get your coat. We're going out.'

Kurt's plan had been very simple, had he not forgotten how very little there was to do in Lima. Nothing was open, everything having closed up for the winter, especially as it was now so close to Christmas. That's how they found themselves sat in a small play park not far from the Hummel-Hudson residence, which pleased the kids - and Blaine - just fine. While the four of them played joyfully, Kurt and Quinn sat on a nearby bench, half watching and half lost in thoughts.

In the end, Kurt had to break the silence between them and ask, 'So what comes next?'

'I… I don't know,' Quinn admitted slowly. 'I didn't plan this far ahead.'

'You just wanted to get it out, to be honest,' he nodded, understanding, unable to stop himself then musing out loud, 'So, now Finn knows, are you going to tell Puck?'

'Tell Puck?' she repeated, shocked, her wide eyes turning to him immediately. 'No. I - I mean - no.'

'Why not?'

'Because he doesn't need to know. There's nothing he can do, now Colbie's with you. And I think - I don't know for certain; they didn't mention it last night or anything - but I think Puck's with Lauren.'

Kurt raised his eyebrows, surprised. 'Really? I didn't see that relationship living past high school.'

Quinn smirked, momentarily distracted. 'Me neither. But Finn is Puck's best friend still and he's given me the impression they're still together so…'

'I wonder who else is still together,' he mused. 'No one really gave anything away, did they?'

'Mike and Tina are,' she enlightened him. 'She moved to England after college to be with him. I helped sell her house. And I know Mercedes and Sam were still an item when they moved to LA - I don't know about now, though.'

Kurt shook his head. 'They're just good friends now - and they have been for a while. Mercedes told me it just wasn't working, and they mutually decided to break up.'

There was a pause as Quinn soaked this information up - then, out of the blue, she snorted. 'Look at us, Kurt. We're just sat here, gossiping like high schoolers.'

He smirked. 'Well, we are, aren't we? Big scandals and all. Nothing's changed.'

She sighed, serious once again. 'No. Nothing's changed.'

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay. Firstly - I'm sorry I took so long posting this. I wanted to get it to you ASAP, because people have been asking for an update and I didn't have anything completed until a minute ago when I finally finished typing it up. This chapter was grueling to write but I did it. Eventually.**

**Secondly - the ending on this chapter is a little sketchy, but the character's are feeling a little like that at the moment. BUT I've decided that you'll be getting two more chapters - one of which will be an epilogue, as that's the only way I can see this story being completely wrapped up so I can move on happy.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Usually I put these last, but I feel like I owe you guys an apology for this being so late. Gah. So many things have happened between this chapter and the last - namely, I was very ill - and I can only beg on my knees that you will forgive me. I have literally just finished this chapter and have yet to completely edit it; I'll probably come back and do that soon.**

**But for now, enjoy this and try not to think about the last chapter; it won't be up for a while as I'm going on holiday on Sunday for a fortnight, so... Yeah. Here this is. Sorry. Enjoy.**

* * *

><p>Kurt spent a lot more time with Quinn over the next few days.<p>

As much as he tried to pretend, it wasn't just for Colbie's benefit.

In the days that followed, Kurt could feel nothing but sympathy towards Quinn. He didn't condone with what she'd done - he hadn't from the start; if it hadn't of been for her innocent child, for Colbie… But he understood what she was feeling. The feeling of loneliness stuck with a person. Right then, she had no one; no one to turn to, no one to be a shoulder to cry on - and, most importantly, no one to help her. Even if she had lost a lot of people by her own doing, it was right then, especially, that she needed someone.

So Kurt took it upon himself to be that person. Admittedly, he wasn't very good at it. When he'd been in similar situations, all he'd had was Blaine - and he was not to Quinn, what Blaine was to him. But he tried, and that was all he could do. After all, this was half his fault. He knew it was too late for pointing fingers - at least, for him it was - but with Finn currently doing it, Kurt couldn't stop himself either.

Finn didn't speak to Kurt those few days. In fact, Kurt never saw his step-brother. But he thought that, in some ways, that was probably good; Finn would most likely have a good at Kurt when he saw him next. He tried to pretend like he didn't know when that would be - a few years, maybe, when Finn had forgotten all about this? - but as the chocolate on the advent calendars dwindled, so did the time to Christmas day.

'Kurt, what time are you and Blaine arriving tomorrow?'

From the kitchen island, Kurt looked up at his stepmother in surprise, blinking as he tried to think of an answer. 'Oh, umm - '

'Because I was planning on having the dinner ready at one.'

'Oh, right,' he replied, feeling Quinn's eyes boring into his coffee cup, determined to fade into the background. 'Well, I guess we'll be here at twelve?'

From the stove, with her back to them, Carole nodded. 'That'll give Colbie time to open her presents.'

Kurt bit his lip, the conversation in Quinn's presence unbearably awkward now. 'Carole - '

'Quinn, you're invited too, of course.'

'Oh, no, Carole, I - '

'Nonsense. You're family.'

Their eyes all fell on the blonde toddler, playing on the carpet in front of them with her 'cousins', before nodding in unison. For Colbie, they would work this out.

Christmas day, however, tested them. Along with the general Christmas crazy, Kurt could feel the tension in the air rising and rising until it reached boiling point. Both Finn and Quinn only spot to control the madness of the twins, or to make polite conversation - and never to each other. They sat at opposite ends of the table, distanced by at least one child; a seating plan devised by Carole to make sure no one addressed the elephant in the room, wanting everyone to pretend they were still a normal family.

And her plan worked. Nothing was said over the table; especially as both Kurt and Finn knew that neither of their parents would allow it. Not to mention Kurt was terrified to speak to Finn, just in case he was mad still. Which was probably likely. Instead, both of the men divided their attention between their families during the meal, before being lumped with the duty of washing up, while the rest opened their presents. For a while, they worked in silence, settling effortlessly back into their childhood pattern. And then -

'Why did you do it?' Finn suddenly blurted, turning to his step-brother.

Kurt blinked, but wasn't at all surprised. He'd known that, eventually, Finn would come to him to make sense of it; to get his side of this mess. Because it was a mess, if you looked at it a certain way. Quinn had made a mess, and as much as Blaine and he had tried to clear it up, the traces of dishonesty were still visible. Especially now Finn knew it had been there in the first place.

'Because,' was all Kurt could reply with at first, busying himself with drying plates. 'Because your family are better off not knowing - then you don't need to pretend it didn't happen; to you, it didn't.'

'And what am I supposed to do, now?' demanded Finn, forgetting he had dishes to wash. 'Pretend it didn't happen?'

As calmly as he could, Kurt put down his towel and turned to him. 'Look, Finn, I know you're mad and I get it. Quinn betrayed you. Again. But I'd rather you didn't shout at me.'

'You betrayed me too. You didn't tell me about this.'

'Because, as much as you irritate me sometimes, I didn't want to see you get hurt,' he confessed, and the slightly surprised look on his step-brother's face made it easier for him to go on. 'I kept Quinn's affair a secret to protect you. And so did she.'

'If she didn't want to hurt me , Kurt, she wouldn't have - '

He sighed exasperatedly. '_Finn_. Quinn dropped out of college, raised two kids and put her dreams on hold for you. Okay, sure, she's made a few mistakes along the way - that Christmas included - but she went to all the trouble of finding me and Blaine, and practically begging us to help her hide it from you. Do you think that if she didn't care about you - didn't love you - she would have done that?'

After a moment, Finn mused quietly, 'She has done a lot for me… but why did she want you and Blaine to have Colbie? Why not someone else?'

Kurt lent against the sideboard, letting go the breath he'd been holding, glad they were past the worst. 'When Quinn turned up on our doorstep, we were trying to adopt. Only, being who we are, it's not as straight forward as it is for other people. We were constantly hitting walls. We'd been at it for months when Quinn arrived. I guess it didn't take her long to see how much the battle was effecting us and she - she offered us her baby. _Us_. Out of everyone, she picked us. It was our last chance, Finn, and we had to take it. So, Blaine and I never lied to you about Colbie. We always made sure that we'd keep as close to the truth about that - so that, when Colbie asked, she'd know more or less what happened.'

Finn nodded numbly, going back to drying the dishes, but Kurt saw his hands shake before he dropped a plate back into the bow of suds. 'Oh, Kurt. What am I going to do?'

Kurt thought carefully before answering. 'Do you remember that Disney movie, _Lilo and Stitch_, that came out when we were a few years older than Ethan and Evan? The whole story revolved around the Hawaiian concept _Ohana_ -"_Ohana means family, family means nobody gets left behind - or forgotten_". If I were you, I'd think about what not abandoning or forgetting means.'

Finn looked over at him and frowned. 'How do you remember that, dude?'

He shrugged, picking up a plate to wash. 'Blaine likes Disney films.'

'Oh,' was all his step-brother replied, passing him a piece of cutlery.

Biting his lip, Kurt took the fork and dared to ask, 'So… we're okay now, yeah?'

'Not okay,' Finn replied. 'But we're getting there.'


	13. Chapter 13

_Epilogue_

After last year, Kurt wasn't sure this was such a good idea.

But he had promised Carole and his dad, and the twins were desperate to see Colbie again. They hadn't seen her since the summer, when Kurt had taken her back for a flying visit while Blaine was busy filming. They'd lapped up the week spent with her, roping her into their childish tricks and giving her a new obsession with puppies - an obsession Quinn gave into, buying her a puppy she named Spot for her birthday.

_It's alright for her,_ Kurt thought bitterly as he struggled to guide the eager puppy through the gate and up the garden path while his partner held Colbie up to ring the doorbell herself, _She hasn't go to live with it._

They hadn't told Colbie the truth. After a long, intense discussion, the three of them decided that she was too young; in a few years time, when she started asking question, then they would tell her. But, until then, they settled on letting Colbie think whatever she wanted. After all, everything had happened because of her; because they wanted her to be happy - so who were they to stop doing that now, to pull her away from what made her beautiful face light up?

'Auntie Q!' the three-year old gushed as soon as the front door was peeled open.

'Bee-Bee!' Quinn's voice echoed back.

Kurt watched as she reached out and gathered the girl up in her arms, enveloping her in a tight hug. It had been a few months since they'd seen each other; the plan had been for Quinn to visit them at Halloween and spend some time with Colbie in New York, but childcare and studying had gotten in the way.

'Hey, Quinn," Blaine greeted, stepping around them, out of the bitter cold and into the hall. 'How are you?'

She nodded as she let go of the toddler, who rushed away to find her cousins. 'Yeah, just a little snowed under. Again. How are you two?'

Kurt shrugged as he managed to get Spot inside, quickly closing the door behind him. 'We're here, aren't we? Dog and all.'

Blaine smirked at Quinn, informing her, 'He's still not too happy about coming back.'

'Well, I'm glad you did. It'll make the whole thing less awkward.'

Kurt looked up from unleashing Spot. 'So you're going to go to the meal, then?'

Quinn shrugged, fiddling with a pen in her hands. 'I don't see why not. Everyone knows Finn and I kind of… broke up, I guess - so it's not like we're going to have to explain.'

'I suppose,' he agreed, unable not to ask, 'How are you two now?'

'We're okay,' she said, shrugging again as she led them into her kitchen, where her study notes were covering the table messily. 'We've moved past being civil to actually being friends. It's… It's a relief, actually. I can actually call him up and rant about stupid law essays instead of pretending that, yeah, going back to college was the best idea of my life.'

Blaine snorted. 'To be honest, I doubt he believed you.'

'Oh, he didn't,' Quinn agreed, sorting away her notes so they could sit down. 'He told me that the other day, when we were getting coffee.'

'You're getting coffee now?' echoed Kurt, smirking. 'Wow. Soon he'll be moving back in.'

Quinn didn't reply. Instead, she picked up the notes and began walking away, her back to them as she moved the folders, lifting them over her head as she went to prevent a collision with one of the twins' heads as they ran past her, a little Colbie in hot pursuit.

'…_Quinn_?' Kurt asked demandingly, knowing what her silence meant.

'Okay, okay, we've discussed it,' she admitted, crossing her arms once she'd deposited the books on a work surface. 'But it's still early days, okay? I'm only beginning to regain Finn's trust - until he's absolutely sure, he's not coming back. And, I guess, that's how it's got to be for a while, okay?'

Kurt noticed the defensive tone she'd used, and how similar it was to the one she'd used to rectify her marriage to Finn to their friends. The pitch stirred up dim memories of the reunion last year, and all the things that were dug up; good and bad, happy and sad.

'And are _you _happy?' he found himself asking tenderly, remembering what Rachel had asked her and how she'd dodged the question.

Quinn blinked, surprised, but a softly smile blossomed on her face as she answered, 'Yes.'

* * *

><p><strong>AN: ... And it's finished. Thanks to everyone that reviewed and begged for more.. it means a lot to me :3 I feel like I should have some apologies to make (I always seem to apologize in my A/N) but I can't think of anything to say except thank you. **


End file.
